Improvement in brick and tsle kilns



N. B. HEAPER. Brick. and Tile Kiln.

No. 210,692. Patented Dec. 1 1878.,

' WITNESSES: INVBNTOR:

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v N. PETERS PHOYOSLVTNOGRAFHER, WASHZNGYOM a C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

NAPOLEON 13. HEAFER, 0F BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK AND TILE KILNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,692, dated December10, 1878; application filed August 24, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON B. Hnnrnn, of Bloomington, in the county ofMcLean, State of Illinois, have invented new and Improved Tile-Kilns, ofwhich the following is a specification Figure l is a verticallongitudinal section of my improved kiln, taken through the linear/m,Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isavertioal cross-section of the same, taken through theline 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken through the broken line2 z z 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail section taken through the line 20 ww 20, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved kiln for burningtile, brick, pottery, or any other clay wares, which shall be soconstructed that the heat shall pass directly through the wares in itsupward course, and thus produce better results than it would ifseparated from them by a fire-wall or bag, as is usual in a down-draftkiln, and in which the draft can be so controlled by means of thechimneys as not to produce such a severe heat as would crack the wareduring the heatingup process, and in which the ware in all parts of thekiln shall be burned equally, so that a piece taken out of any part ofthe kiln will serve as a sample of the whole.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawing,and then pointed out in the claims.

A represents the side walls, B represents the end walls, and 0represents the top or arch, of a kiln. D are clamp-benches, which arebuilt alternately with the furnaces E, and are made of such a length asto extend about onethird of the distance across the kiln, leaving aspace of about one-third of the distance across the kiln between theinner ends of the opposite benches. These benches D form the side wallsof the furnaces E, and consequently there must be one more bench thanfurnaces upon each side. From the benches D, as bases, are sprung archesF, which may be eight inches wide and eight inches deep, or of any otherdesired size. The arches should be about four inches from each other,and the first arch should be about four inches from the side wall, thusforming spaces through which the products of combustion pass up into thekiln.

If desired the benches 1) may be omitted, and the arches F sprung fromthe ground, or from the ash-pit walls, if said walls are con structed asa part of the kiln.

The spaces between the convex sides of the arches are filled up to forma level floor to set the ware upon.

The doorways of the furnaces E may be in the side walls of thekiln-clamp, or they may be outside of the said side walls, as may bedesired.

Gr are two fire-walls, extending from one end wall of the kiln to theother. The fire-walls Gr may be close to the inner arches, F, or aboutfour inches from them, as may be desired. In the latter case one morefire space will be formed from each furnace. With this construction thetendency of the products of combustion to pass into the middle part ofthe kiln is checked by the fire-walls G, and the said products arecompelled to pass up through the fire spaces between the arches F andthrough the ware upon the said arches. The products of combustion, asthey rise, come in contact with the main arch O and follow it to itscrown, where they pass down, spreading themselves among the ware in themiddle part of the kiln, and then pass through the short cross-fines, H,between the fire-walls G, and enter the long flue, I. From the ends ofthe long flue, I, cross-fines J lead to the chimneys K, and conduct theproducts of combustion into said chimneys K. The chimneys K are built ator near the corners of the kiln, pass up through the arch O, and riseinto the air as high as may be desired. In the arch, top, or cover 0 areformed a number of holes, 0 which may be opened to serve as outlets forthe steam developed during the first stages of the burning, which steam,if compelled to pass downward through the ware in the middle part of thekiln, would have a tendency to rot or injure the said ware. The holes 0also serve as feedholes when it is desirable to furnish the fire withfuel at the top. The said holes are also convenient for inspecting theware, and should be furnished with caps or covers 0 so that they can beclosed when desired.

In each of the end walls B are formed two doorsone, b ,in the lowerpart, and the other,

71 in the upper part, of the said wallthe upper door, I)", being usedfor filling and emptying the kiln when the Ware cannot be put in andtaken out through the lower door, b, conveniently.

If desired,the flue Imay be made large, continued through both the endwalls B, and pro- Vided with an opening at each end, so that a man mayenter it to clean it and the crossfiues. With this construction the flueI may also serve as a furnace if it should be desired to use the kiln asan up-draft kiln. In this case the holes a in the arch O shouldbeopened.

With kilns constructed in this way less fuel will be required, as theheat is more completely utilized, owing to the number of times theproducts of combustion are compelled to pass through the wares.

Having thus fully described my invention,I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A down-draft kiln provided with a set ofarch-furnaces along each side wall, extending inward about one-third thebreadth of the said kiln, and having fire-spaces formed through theirarches, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the arch-furnaces F, the fire-walls G, thecross-fines H, the longitudinal flue I, and the outlet cross-fines Jwith the four chimneys K, substantially as herein shown and described;

NAPOLEON B. HEAFER,

Witnesses:

Rom. S. MOINTYRE, ADAM GUTHRIE, JOHN J OHNS'ION.

